And somehow, in the middle of all that, my life has changed even more than the building has.
A daughter I would start to get to know. A house I might buy. And a woman I hoped hadn’t walked out of my life for good.
I step outside and look up at the glowing marquee.
Four days.
Four days until the doors open.
Four days until the whole town fills these seats again.
And maybe…
Four days until I find out if Violet is still part of my future.
27
Violet
“Drown your troubles in coffee.”
Three Days Before The Grand Opening
The café is quiet in the peaceful way it is before opening.
Brie is already elbow deep in flour, tying her apron tighter as she pulls a tray of cinnamon rolls from the oven.
Maddie stands behind the espresso machine, dialing in the grinder like it is the most important task in the world, which I think it is.
Holding my coffee cup between both hands I stare at the large wall calendar we taped beside the register.
Saturday.
The Starlight Theater Grand Opening
A little star was drawn beside it in purple marker.
Brie follows my gaze.
“You know you’re staring at that, like it might explode.”
“I’m just thinking.”
“That’s the problem,” Maddie says without looking up. “You’ve been doing that a lot lately.”
I sigh.
“Okay. Let’s go over the plan again.” Brie wipes her hands on a towel and comes around the counter. “Coffee cart outside the theater entrance.”
“Right,” I say.
“Mini pastries and cookies for the first hundred guests,” Maddie adds. “And we’re running the lavender latte special all night.”
I nod.
Everett asked me weeks ago if the café would help with the opening. Of course, I said yes. Lavender Creek loves events, and the theater reopening is a big deal.
But that had been before everything got complicated.
